Z is for the Zygomatic Bone / Zzzz #AtoZofFitness #PhewWeMadeIt 🔹 The Zygomatic Bone is…your upper cheek bone. Very important in fitness 😂 (yeah I struggled for Z haha) 🔹 Zzz…sleep. We all know that sleep is important for many health reasons, but why in fitness in particular? 🔻 Sleep is when the growth hormone is released. You’re not going to build muscle without it. 🔻 Sleep deprivation changes your Insulin balance (the master storage hormone) which can lead to weight gain. – Effective Insulin = fat cells remove fatty acids from the blood and prevent storage. – Becoming Insulin resistant = lipids pump out more Insulin and stores as fat in the liver and other places. 🔻 Lack of sleep can make you more hungry due to other hormone imbalances. 🔻 Lack of concentration. You can’t hit your PB’s when you’re tired!
Read More

Y is for Yoga I’m not a yoga expert, but I’ll try to explain the differences in some of the most common types: Hatha – a generic term for beginner yoga. Breathing, meditation and basic poses. Vinyasa – For the slightly more advanced beginner. Flowing, and you’ll repeat sequences a number of times. Ashtanga – More advanced again, and structured out of 8 different sequences. Perfect for perfectionists! Hot/Bikram – prepare to get hot and sweaty! Flowing movement. Bikram is a type of hot yoga and incorporates 26 different postures. Iyengar – very precise although it’s gentle so it’s good for beginners. Expect to use props and it allows for full relaxation as you perform the stretches.
Read More

I get asked a lot similar questions, so over the last month both on my Instagram (@fitchicnic) and on here, I went through the alphabet talking about some of the most common health and fitness related questions and topics. X is for Xtreme Nothing in fitness should be extreme. Although we can have the occasional challenge (bodybuilding shows, Tough Mudder, climbing a mountain etc) you need to try and strike a balance in the rest of your life to ensure that you keep yourself happy and healthy. Exercise because it makes you feel good. Because it’s fun. Because you challenge yourself. Because you do something different you haven’t done in a while. Don’t go to the extremes of gymming 7 days a week because you feel like you “have to,” only to then never go again for 6 months. I’ve met a few people who have done that lately. Consistency is key for the majority! Keep it simple. Don’t run before you can walk after an injury. Don’t squat 100kg before you understand your hamstrings from your quads. Don’t try doing fancy yoga poses or gym moves just because you saw them on Instagram. You’re more likely to succeed if […]
Read More